Phish phantastic in 4-hour jamfest February 28, 2003 - Springfield Union-News By Philip D'Amour Jam band giant Phish crammed the Worcester Centrum Centre to capacity with their famously dedicated fans for a 4-hour marathon set Wednesday night. For many Phish fans each concert is a pilgrimage. Looking around the packed parking lots of the Centrum one could see scores of out-of-state license plates from Connecticut, Vermont, New York, Maryland, and even as far as South Carolina. After almost an hour of eager anticipation, Phish strolled onto the stage to the roaring delight of the audience and eased into a mellow jam that opened "YEM (You Enjoy Myself)," one of their earliest recordings. Guitarist and lead vocalist Trey Anastasio and bassist Michael Gordon hopped onto small trampolines and performed one of their now classic synchronized bouncing jams in which they bounce-turned to face each section of the audience in recognition and appreciation, including the often ignored group behind the stage. However, this was in some ways unlike any other Phish concert before it. The band performed several tunes from members' recent solo projects for the first time, including Gordon's "Clone," which featured a terrific vocal jam; Anastasio's "Drifting," from his well-received 2002 solo album; and "Blue Skies," an honest country tune from drummer Jonathan Fishman's band Pork Tornado. However, Phish were true to form. With the Centrum filled with a shifting rainbow of lighting effects and audience-produced smoke effects, Anastasio lurched over his guitar with his mouth agape staring ahead as if in a trance as the band performed several favorites including "Roggae" and "The Moma Dance," tunes from their 1998 studio album "The Story of Ghost." Though Phish is not known for musical brevity and conciseness or particularly poignant lyrics, they are superb musicians and a fantastic jam band that can also sing surprisingly well especially when harmonizing as a unit. Next, the band played another concert first-timer, "Final Flight," a tune originally performed by keyboardist Page McConnell's band Vida Blue, filled with terrific keyboard solos. "Final Flight" morphed into a crowd-pleasing instrumental cover of War's "Low Rider." The band took a long intermission - true to the evening's pace. From the backed-up traffic to the concert's late start and from the extended jams to the unbearable lines into the restroom, the whole night could be characterized as long and slow - if not decidedly mellow. After the break, the band performed several classics, including "Stash," a song about, well, you figure it out, "Ghost," a relatively literate song in an otherwise jam-based oeuvre, and "Makisupa Policeman," a tune featuring more than a hint of Bob Marley influence. Next, the group rolled into "Waves," a song that characterizes the Phish concert-going experience with its quiet dips lulling the audience, followed by rowdier peaks reviving them and eliciting roaring cheers and bobbing dance. Phish ended their regular set with the Edgar and Johnny Winter classic "Frankenstein," which blended into their own tune, "Golgi Apparatus" from their first album "Junta." The band returned to the stage before an audience cheering under the glow of raised cigarette lighters, encoring with the Rolling Stones' classic "Loving Cup," and ended the show with one last jam. Copyright © 2003 Springfield Union-News